“In that instant I knew that Kyoto had installed itself inside me much deeper than mere fancy. No other place I knew took me back so far and so deep, to what seemed like a better time and self. And as I wandered back in the dying light, lit up with a sense of rapture…

Japanese lacquer – urushi – is one of the wonders of traditional Japanese craft. From the moment of its discovery by the West, with the arrival of Portuguese traders in the mid-16th century, it was sought by royal, aristocratic and wealthy families in Europe and the United States. Inevitably expensive due to the time, patience…

The work of Seiho KIBE is currently being shown in his second U.S. solo at Tai Modern Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, until July 13, 2019. Ten years ago, Seiho KIBE had his first solo show in the United States at TAI Gallery in Santa Fe. Now, he is returning to show his new…

Japan’s relationship with tattoos is notoriously complicated. Even at the height of their popularity during the Edo period, the samurai class made attempts to ban these creative decorations that depicted designs that were considered subversive. Because of their popularity, the bans were ineffective and so the culture of horimono — literally “engraving” — remained strong for…

Two years ago, at the age of 58, potter Zenzo Fukushima was tapped to become what is commonly known as a “Living National Treasure.” The title, one of Japan’s highest honors, is often misunderstood to be recognition of an individual’s superior accomplishment. In fact, it is a directive from the nation to preserve something that…

The solo exhibition of celebrated artist, Fujikasa Satoko will be held at Joan B Mirviss LTD. May 1 – June 21, 2019 Joan B Mirviss LTD 39 E 78 Street, New York, NY 10075 Among sophisticated collectors and informed curators, the single most sought-after Japanese clay artist is the extraordinarily gifted Fujikasa Satoko. Both visually…

KYOTOGRAPHIE has been successful partly because photographic images have the ability to transcend linguistic differences through ishin denshin: wordless communication, heartstrings vibrating in harmony.“Vibe,” which situates ishin denshin within a specific locale, is a fitting theme for the photography festival, now in its seventh year. Of the eleven main venues, “The Forms of Nature: 100…

From Steve Beimel: I interviewed Pico Iyer in 1993 about his book, The Lady and the Monk, for first issue my former publication, The Kyoto Diary. He had been living for a short while in Japan at that time, and we discussed many aspects of his book and Japan in general. Now, 26 years later,…

No matter how much a woman enjoys lovemaking, it has to be fit in around the more mundane activities of life, whether that be cooking, child rearing or work. It therefore seems appropriate that a new exhibition examining the lives of Japanese women as pictured in ukiyo-e paintings and prints, originally envisioned as a show…